Electrical translating apparatus



Jan. 6, 1931. p, DQWLING 1,788,152

ELECTRICAL TRANSLATING APPARATUS Original Filed June 20. 1928 Permanent INVENTOR'.

Patented Jan. 6, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PHILIP H. DOWLING, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB .TO THE UNION SWITCH & SIGNAL COMPANY, 01 SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION v PENNSYLVANIA ELECTRICAL TBANSLATING' APPARATUS Original application filed June 20, 1928, serial No; 286,884. Divided and this application filed July 9, 1929,

* Serial No. 877,019.

My invention relates to electrical translating apparatus of the amplifier type. One object of my invention is the provision of ampli 'ng apparatus having no electron tubes an no moving parts.

The present application is a division of my copending application, Serial ,No. 286,984, filed June 20, 1928, for Electrical translating apparatus. I will describe one form of electrical translating apparatusembodying my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawing, the single 16 figure is a diagrammatic view illustrating one form of translating apparatus embodying my invention.

Referring to the drawing, the reference character A designates a transformer comprising a magnetizablecore 1 having a bridging member 2 provided with two windings 5 and 6. One leg 3 of this core is provided with a winding 7, and the other leg 4 carries a winding 8. Winding 6 is connected in an input circuit which also includes a source of direct current here shown as the secondary of a transformer T and a full wave rectifier R Alternating current is at times sup- 7 plied to the primary of transformer T and it will be seen that when current is supplied to this primary unidirectional current will be supplied to winding 6.

Windings 7 and 8 of transformer Aare connected in series with a load L in an output circuit which is constantly sup lied with alternating current from any suita le source such as an alternator G. This circuit may be tuned to resonance by a condenser 9. The windings 7 and 8 are so disposed that the alternating fluxes produced in core by a1- ternating current supplied to these windings traverse member 2 in opposite directions at any instant so that these fluxes do not cause a magnetic potential diiierence between the extremities of member 2. Winding 5 of transformer A has its terminals connected across a rectifier 10 which permits current to flow through this winding in one direction but not in the other. i 4 When the current in winding 6 is increased,

the unidirectional flux in member 2 is also increased, and as a result the permeability of legs 3 and 4: is correspondingly decreased. It follows that the impedances of windings 7 and 8 are thereby decreased, so that the current supplied by enerator G to the load L through windings and 8 is increased. Furthermore, the unidirectional flux created in member 2 has another effect which I will now describe. It will be seenthat a portion of the flux created in member 2 by current in winding 6 traverses a path including leg 3 and indicated in the drawing by arrows 12. Another portion of this flux traverses the path indicated by arrows 13 and including leg 4. It will be seen that during one-half cycle of the alternating flux created incore 1 by current in windings 7 and 8, this alternating flux will aid the unidirectional flux in leg 3 and will oppose the unidirectional flux in leg t. During the other half cycle, however, this alternating flux will aid the unidirectional flux in leg 4 and will oppose the unidirectional flux in leg 3. Since the reluctances of paths 12 and 13 depend upon the density of the flux through these paths, it follows that these reluctances will be varied by different amounts during at least a portion of each cycle. The balance normally existing between the alternating fluxes created in core 1 by windings 7 and 8 is, therefore, destroyed so that an alternatingflux is created in member 2. This alternating-flux, of course, induces in winding 5 an alternating electromotive force. Due to the rectifier 10, however, current can flow in this winding,

only during alternate half cycles and the.

rectifier 10 is so arranged that the current which is permitted to flow in winding 10 creates a unidirectional flux in member 2 which aids the unidirectional flux created in this member by current in windin 6. It follows that the impedances of win ings 7 and 8 are still further decreased and the unbalance between the alternating flux in core 1 is still further increased with a consequent further. increase in the current in load L. This cycle of operation continues until a condition ofequilibrium is reached for which the current supplied to the load will have been increased tion 0 by an amount which depends upon the amount of increase in the current supplied to winding 6. When the current in winding 6 returns to its original value, the current supplied to the load L also returns to its original value, the apparatus operating 1n a manner which will be understood from the foregoing without further explanation.

It should be pointed out that the alternaing flux in member 2 induces an alternating electromotive force in winding 6, and in order to su press this induced electromotive force an impedance 11 is interposed in the input circuit. I

Under some conditions of operation, the winding 5 with its associated rectifier 10 may be dispensed with, the function of these parts being performed by the input circuit including winding 6 and rectifier R It will be noted that alternating current induced in winding 6 by the alternating flux in member 2 resulting from an unbalance of the alternating fluxes in core 1 due to direct current supplied towinding 6 can flow through the circuit including rectifier R in only one direction, and that this direction is such that the induced current thus created in winding 6 assists the unidirectional current supplied to the winding from transformer T. Underpro r conditions, therefore, the apparatus wil 0 rate regeneratively without the addiwinding 5 and rectifier 10.

The sensitivity of the apparatus depends,

of course, upon the initial permeability of core 1, and for the purpose of adjusting this permeability to its optimum value, I provide a permanent magnet M having its poles M and M adjacent the extremities of member 2. With this arrangement it will be apparent that the magnet M su lies a unidirectional flux to the core 1, an y properly constructing the rmanent magnet M the initial permeabiht of the core 1 may be adj usted to the desire value.

It should be pointed out that with apparatus embodying my invention, the current in the output circuit is varied in accordance with the current supplied to the input circuit, and that the apparatus operates regenerativeiy in response to comparatively small changes in the input circuit to cause enormously larger changes in the output circuit. Furthermore, this operation is accomplished without the use ofmovin parts. Apparatus embodying my inventlon is particularly suitable for, though in no way limited to, use in railway traflic controlling apparatus in which the train is supplied with a device such as a relay which is supplied with current in accordance with variations in the current flowing in a track rail. In my present invention the train carried relay could be substituted for the load L and'the track rail would corres nd to the primary of trans gized in accordance with the 'trackway current.

It should be distinctly understood, however, that my invention is not limited to use with input circuits su lied by an alternating current source. en the input energy is direct current, this current may be supplied directly to the control winding 6, the rectifier R and transformer T then being umiec: essary.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of electrical translating a paratus embodying my invention, it is un erstood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim 1s:

1. In combination, a magnetizable core comprising two magnetic paths both including a bridgin member, two windings one on each said pat a circuit including a source of alternating current and said two windings in series in such manner that the alternating fluxes in said two paths are in opposition in said bridging member, a permanent magnet having its poles adjacent the extremities of said bridging member to create a unidirec tional flux in said member, means for at times varying the flux in said member to vary the impedance of said windings, and a load receiving energy from said circuit.

2. In combination, a magnetizable core comprisin two magnetic paths both including a bri ging member, two windings one on each said path, a circuit including a source of alternating current and said two windings in series in such manner that fluxes in said two aths are in opposition in said bridging mem ber, a permanent magnet having its poles adjacent the extremities of said bridging member to create a unidirectional flux in said member, a third winding on said bridging member, means for at times supplying said third winding with unidirectional current for creating in said member a unidirectional flux to vary the impedance of said two windings, and a load receiving energy from said circuit.

3. In combination, a magnetizable core comprising two ma etic paths both including a bridgin mem er, two windings one on each said pat an output circuit including a source of alternating current and said two windings in series in such manner that the alternating fluxes in said two paths are in opposition in said bridging'member, a permanent magnet having its poles adjacent the extremities of said bridging member to create a unidirectional flux in said member, a third windin on said bridging member, a

transformer t e primary of which is at times supplied with alternating current, a rectifier,

' each said path, a circuit including a source of alternating current andsaid two windings in series in such manner that the alternating fluxes in said two paths are in opposition in said; bridging member, a permanent magnet having its poles adjacent the extremities of said bridging member to create a unidirec- -tiona1 flux in said member, a third winding on said bridging member, means for at times supplying said third winding with unidirectional current for creating in said member a unidirectional flux to vary the impedance of said two windings, a rectifier, a fourth winding on said bridging member connected across theterminals of said rectifier for creating in said bridging member a unidirectional flux which aids the unidirectional flux created in said member by the current supplied to said third winding, and a load receiving energy from said circuit.

5. In combination, a magnetizable core comprising two magnetic paths both including a bridging member, two windings one on each said path, a circuit including a source of periodic current and said two windings in such manner that the fluxes created thereby in said two paths are in opposition in said bridging member, a permanent magnet having its poles adjacent the extremities of said bridging member to create a biasing flux in said member, a third winding on said bridging member, means for at times supplying said third winding with current for creating in said member a flux to vary the impedances of said two windings, and a load receiving energy from said circuit.

6, In combination, a magnetizable core comprising two ma etic paths both including a bridging mem I er, two windings one on each said path,.a circuit including a source of periodic current and said two windings in such manner that the fluxes created thereby in said two pathscare in opposition in-said bridging member, a permanent magnet having its poles adjacent the extremities of said bridging member to create a biasing flux in said member, a third winding on said bridging member, means for at times supplying in a permanent magnet for producing a unidirectional flux inat least a portion of said core, independent means for creating flux in said core to vary the impedance of said Winding, a load, and means for supplying said load with energy in accordance wlth the current in said circuit.

8. In combination, a ma 7 etizable core, a winding on said core, a clrcuit including said winding and a source of current, a permanent magnet "for producing a unidirectional biasing flux in at least a'portion of said core, means for at times varying the flux in said core to vary the impedance of said winding, means responsive to such variation in the impedance of said winding to cause further additive variation in the flux in said core, and a load receiving energy from said circuit.

In testimony whereof I afiix' my signature.

PHILIP H. DOWLING,

said third winding with current for creating in said member a flux to vary the impedances of said two windings, a load, and means for supplying said load with energy in accordance with 'the current in said circuit.

7. In combination, a magnetizable core, a winding on said core, a circuit including a sou r-( 'c of periodic current and said first wind- 

